Norfolk: New Buckenham

Hunt's Directory of East Norfolk with Part of Suffolk 1850

BUCKENHAM (NEW) is a small thriving town in the hundred of Shropham, and parish of its name, 15½ miles S.W. from Norwich, 5 S.E. from Attleborough (where there is a station of the Norfolk Railway), and 98 N.N.E. from London; it formerly had a market, but owing to the nearness of Norwich, and the changes in the times, it has long been discontinued. The town, which contains several streets, and of late has been much improved, stands near the source of the river Waveney, in the centre of a populous neighbourhood, and is much resorted to for its excellent shops; the surrounding country is flat, but particularly fertile.

Some ancient and important privileges are claimed by the inhabitants of Buckenham; among others, the right of selling goods toll free at any fairs or markets in the kingdom, and exemption from serving as jurymen at sessions and assizes. The government of this town is committed to a high bailiff and subordinate officials, who are appointed annually, and a court leet and baron is held periodically, under the authority of the lord of the manor: this functionary has the honour of acting as cup-bearer at the coronation of the Sovereigns of England.

Near the town are the remains of a castle, and there is but little doubt that the parish formed at one period a portion of Old Buckenham. The erection of the castle, with a church attached, would naturally cause a number of residences for the people connected with them to be collected around; in process of time these amounted to a small town, which in ancient documents was styled "Nova Burga de Buckenham."

The church is a handsome structure; its size and excellence of construction are owing to the interest taken for its preservation by the former Lords of the castle. In the interior of the sacred pile, in the front of the gallery, is some curious wood carving, which originally graced an ancient building in the town.

There is a place of worship for Methodists, and recently an excellent parochial school has been erected contiguous to the parish church. A market was formerly held on Saturday, but it, as before stated, is now obsolete, except being kept on the last Saturday in May, when it is abundantly supplied with various articles of merchandize; a fair also is held annually, on the 22nd of November. In 1841, the parish of New Buckenham contained 716 souls.

POST-OFFICE, at Henry Ely's. Letters delivered at 8 30 a.m. and despatched to Norwich and all parts via Attleborough at 6 p.m.

	Andrews   Thomas           watchmaker (and dealer in fancy goods)
	Bilham    James            corn and coal merchant
	Buddery   Lydia            clothier
	Clowes    Edward Norris    solicitor, agent to the Royal Farmer's
	                             fire, life and hail insurance,
	                             registrar of births & deaths,
	                             & magistrates' clerk
	Davy      Daniel           cooper
	Foulger   Mr. Samuel
	Harvey    Thomas Brown     painter, &c.
	Howard    Horace           surgeon
	Johnson   Samuel           carrier
	Palmer    Francis          miller
	Palmer    Mr. Jonathan
	Rayson    William F.       stonemason
	Stebbings Thomas           glazier, &c.
	Turner    Ed. H.           chemist & druggist, agent to the
	                             National Mercantile, fire and life
	Townshend Jno.             auctioneer, currier. agent to the
	                             Star, fire and life
	Turner    Mrs. Harriet
	Tyrrell   William          schoolmaster
	Wallis    John             smith and ironmonger
	Wallis    Johnson          tinman
	Wilson    Daniel           glover & hairdresser

	   Bakers.                    Farmers.

	Knights   William          Betts     Edwd. Wiseman (and dealer)
	Woodrow   Henry            Bond      Maria
	                           Gall      John, jun.
	                           Gall      John, sen.
	   Beer Retailers.

	Knights   William
	Rose      Sarah

	   Boot and Shoemakers.       Grocers and Drapers.

	Buddery   Henry (and       Bryant    Richard
	            currier)       Julian    John, draper and clothier
	Calver    William          Turner    H. and J.
	Garrod    Robert
	Turner    James

	   Butchers.                  Saddlers.

	Gaynor    John             Austin    James (agent for the Norwich
	Lansdell  George                       Union, fire and life)
	Lawrence  John             Townshend Thomas
	Watling   Henry

	   Carpenters.                Tailors.

	Aldis     D.F. and W.      Davy      Thomas
	Chapman   William          Stebbings Elvin

	             Inns and Taverns.

	Brett     Henry            George and Dragon (and horse breaker)
	Ely       Henry            King's Head
	Stebbings Elvin            White Horse

CARRIER to Norwich, Johnson, Saturday, at 5 morning.